Switching apparatus for electrical apparatus



Nov. 13, 1951 1. T. AKELEY SWITCHING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Original Filed June 3, 1948 l... Oyd T Akele His A'tt orney.

NOV. 13, 1951 L, AKELEY 2,575,084

SWITCHING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Original Filed June 3, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 MANUAL HIGH MANUAL SECOND R U TON/Q 770 HIGH 70 THIRD Irwvntor; Lloyd. T Akeley I-HS Attor hey.

Patented Nov. 13, 1951 SWITCHING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Lloyd T. Akeley, Lynn, Mass, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Original application June 3, 1948, Serial No. 30,835. Divided and this application September 21, 1949, Serial No. 116,878

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a switching apparatus for a plurality of electrical circuits, originally designed for electric hotplates for electric ranges and the like. In its use with hotplates it provides an inexpensive and simple apparatus which for certain cooking operations automatically will reduce the heat from a high initial value which rapidly brings the food to the cooking temperature, to a lower cooking value which maintains the cooking temperature.

More specifically, this invention contemplates an improved switching apparatus for a hotplate having at least a pair of heating elements; and having temperature control means for the heating elements which functions responsively tothe temperature of the cooking vessel on the hotplate to operate the heating elements first to deliver their maximum heat quickly to bring the cooking vessel to the cooking temperature and then automatically to reduce their heat delivery so as to maintain the cooking temperature. A selector switch is included in the hotplate system to preselect the lower cooking heat. The temperature control means is in the form of a heat transfer switch which coacts directly and only with the selector switch to effect the initial maximum heat delivery and then, upon the vessel attaining the cooking temperature, to effect the lower cooking heat by automatic transfer from one circuit to another. Safety in this transfer is obtained by a special arrangement according to this invention. The present application is a division of my application Serial No. 30,835, filed June 3, 1948, now Patent 2,534,097, patented December 12, 1950, and assigned to the same assignee.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an electric range provided with a hotplate embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of a hotplate embodying this invention, the figure being drawn on a larger scale than in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic representations of the heating system and switch means therefor, arranged in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawing, this invention has been shown in one form as applied to an electric range I comprising four surface heating units 2, 3, 4 and 5, mounted in the top cooking surface 5a of the range, and also an oven 6 located beneath the top surface 5a. The surface heating units 2 to 5, inclusive, are controlled by means of rotary selector switches l, 8, 9 and I0, respectively, while the oven 6 is controlled by a selector switch II and the oven temperature is controlled and set by a thermostat l2. Each of the surface units 3, 4 and 5 has a pair of heating elements which, by means of its respective switch 8, 9, and I0 is connected in various circuit relations to a three-wire supply source so as to provide a number of different degrees of heat generation. The oven switch ll controls the oven heating units (not shown) to provide bake and broil heats.

The heating unit 2 is controlled in accordance with this invention, to generate a high degree of heat initially and then, after the cooking vessel placed upon the hotplate has attained a predetermined cooking temperature, is automatically controlled to generate a lower cooking heat which is selected by the switch 1. Moreover, it is contemplated that for automatic operation the switch I will be adjusted to the desired cooking heat position, but in any such case the initial heat generated will be that attained by operating the unit 2 to its maximum wattage, and only when the cooking temperature has been attained will the automatic control cause the heating unit 2 to generate the lower selected cooking wattage. The control system as a whole is the subject of an application filed concurrently herewith, Serial No. 116,877.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the heating unit 2 comprises a pair of heat generating elements [3 and M. The element [3 is in the form of a ring,'while the element 14 is spirally wound and lies within the ring element l3. The two heating elements l3 and I4 have their upper surfaces lying in a horizontal cooking plane andpreferably these surfaces will be flattened somewhat as shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the cooking vessel will be supported directly by these flattened surfaces in the cooking plane. Also, it will be observed that the cooking plane is elevated somewhat with elements from the top surface a, as shown. Under the elements i 3 and I4 is a bowl-shaped metallic reflector pan l9 which is supported by means of a flange |9a attached to the top surface So.

Mounted in the central area of the heating unit is a temperature responsive control element 20. This element comprises a temperature responsive element 2| in the form of a bimetallic bar; this bar is formed of two metals having dissimilar coeflicients of expansion and secured together lengthwise from end to end. The upper end 22 of the bar is formed at right angles to the main body of the bar and this portion is secured to a cap 23, formed of a good heat conducting material such as copper or aluminum; the section 22 is secured to the cap 23 in any suitable fashion, as by brazing. The thermostatic bar 2| is so arranged that when it is cool, that is, at room temperature, it occupies its position shown in'Fig. 2, whereas, when it is heated it tends to move toward the left, that is, clockwise, as viewed in this figure.

The cap 23 is supported on and closes the upper end of a heat insulating cylindrical tube 24 mounted vertically with its central axissubstantially coincident with the central vertical axis of unit 2, and which tube is formed of any suitable heat insuiating material such as a glass filled phenol condensation product. The tube extends downwardly through a central aperture 25 formed in the bottom wall of the reflector l9. as shown.

The thermostat bar 2| functions to operate a transfer switching mechanism 26 mounted in the lower end of the tube 24 t eifectthe automatic ihigh to low heat delivery heretofore referred to. g This switching mechanism comprises a pair of vertically spaced contacts 21 and 28 which coact with a bridging contact 29; and a contact 30 which coacts with a companion contact 3 I. Contacts 21 and 28 are mounted on electrically conducting spring contact arms 32 and 33 respectively; bridging contact 29 is mounted on the right side of an electrically conducting spring contact arm 34, while contact 30 is mounted on the opposite side ofthis arm 34; and contact 3| is mounted on the right side of an electrically conducting spring contact arm 35; all as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The resiliency of the :arm 32, 33 and 34 are such that they biasbridging contact 29 into engagement with contacts '21 and 28; and normally at room temperature the thermostatic element 2| is in its position as shown to maintain bridging contact 29 in contact with contacts 21 and 28. The lower ends of switch arms 32, 33, 34 and 35 are secured to two rigid metallic arms 35a and 35b which at their upper ends are secured to the lower end of thetube 24 by rivets as shown, and to which the contact arms are secured by means of bolts 350. The switch arms are electrically insulated from each other and from the metallic arms 35a and 35b by means of insulating washers 35d and tubes 35c, the latter surrounding the bolts 35c, as shown.

The thermostatic bar 2| is connected to the switch mechanism by means of an electrically insulating bar 36 formed of any suitable electrical insulating and heat resisting material such as a phenol condensation product. The upper end of this bar is secured to the lower end of the bimetal bar by means of a rivet, while its lower end is secured to the upper end of the switch arm 34. which projects upwardly beyond the upper ends of the remaining switch arms, by means of a screw 36a.

The insulating bar 36 carries intermediate its ends a permanent magnet 31 which coacts with an armature 38. Armature 38 is mounted on the lower end of a spring arm 39, the upper end of which is fixed to the upper end of the tube 34 by means of rivets, as shown. Spring arm 39 biases the armature 38 toward the right against an adjustable stop 40 threaded in the tube for adjustment. The magnet and armature bias the bar 36 and hence, the connecting switch arm 34 toward the right.

Switch arm 35 also carries an armature 4| on its left side which coacts with an electromagnetic element 42 having a core 43 which conveniently may be formed as an upper extension on the switch assembly arm 35a, and the electromagnet also has a coil 44 which surrounds the core. The core and its coil, as shown, are mounted outside of the tube 24, but the upper end of the core 45 is directed inwardly and projects through an opening provided for it in the tube; the lower end of the core also is directed inwardly toward the tube, but it is secured to the outside of the tube by means of the rivets fastening the arm 35a to the tube and which rivets extend through the tube. The upper end 45 of the core and the inner heads of the rivets form the two poles of the electromagnet 42 and they coact with the armature 4| to move it toward the left (Fig. 2) when the coil 44 is energized. The lower end of the coil 44 i permanently connected electrically to contact arm 32 by means of a jumper 45a. The switching arrangement just described is the particular part of the invention intended tobe covered by the present application.

The heating unit 2 further comprises a shield 41 consisting of two concentric cylindrical shells formed of heat reflecting material and positioned around the upper end of tube 24 in concentric relation with it and with each other and about the zone of the tube housing the bimetallic bar 2|. These shells 41 as well as the cylinder 24 function to prevent radiant heat of the heating elements l3 and 4 from gaining access to the bimetallic bar 2 I The tube 24 is supported by and is biased up wardly so that normally (when the hotplate is not loaded by a cooking vessel) the cap 23 lies above the cooking plane of the heating elements |3 and H by a helical compression spring 48 having its upper end bearing against a metallic flange 49 attached to the tube 24 and its lower end bearing against the bottom of the reflector bowl IS. The shells 41 at their lower ends are secured together by means of blocks of heat insulating material 50, and these blocks are attached to a plate 5|, the plate 5| is biased upwardly by springs 52 (shown more clearly in Fig. 3) which are lanced from the material of which the flange 49 is made and which project upwardly to bias the shell assembly 41 upwardly. The springs are arranged to bias these shells so that their upper ends lie in a plane above the top surface of the cap 23 when the heating unit is unloaded. It will be observed that the assembly of the shells 41 and their supports 50 and 5| merely rest upon the springs 50 so that thi assembly may be removed as a unit and cleaned if it is desired to do so Surrounding the assembly of the tubes 24 and l9. The hotplate unit with the heat shielding arrangement is retained as the subject of the parent application of which this is a division.

It will be understood that when a cooking vessel is placed on the heating unit it first will engage the tube series 41 and depress it against the force of the springs 52 and then will engage the cap 23 and depress the tube 24 along with the shells 41 against the force of the spring 48, whereby the cap 23 is firmly pressed against the bottom of the cooking vessel and also the shells 41. The cooking vessel, therefore, constitutes a thermal ground" so to speak of high heat capacity for the metallic shells 41 and hence, functions to drain heat from them, which heat is radiated to them from the high temperature heating elements I 3 and i4, and thereby prevents an undue rise in the temperature within tube 24.

The selector switch I may be of any suitable type, but preferably it will be of the type described and claimed in the U. S. patent to C. P. Randolph et al. No. 2,203,236, dated June 4, 1940. Briefly, this switch comprises a series of flexible contact fingers 54, 55, 56, 51, 58 and 59 fixed at one end, their lower ends as viewed in Figs. 4 to 8, to an electrically insulatinghousing (not shown) and at their upper ends carry contacts which coact with fixed contacts 60, GI, 62, 63, 64 and 65 respectively, mounted in the housing. It will be understood, and as fully described and explained in the Randolph patent, the contact fingers 54 to 59 are operated by means of a suitable rotary cam (not shown and rotated by knob 1) so as to move into and outof engagement with their respective contacts 60 to 65 in a predetermined order as knob l is rotated. Since the details of this construction form no part of this invention, it is not believed necessary to describe it in greater detail here. It is pointed out, however, that contact fingers 54 and 59 have their own individual terminals, while contact fingers 55 and 56 have a common terminal and fingers 51 and 58 have a common terminal, all as shown in Figs. 4 to 8. Fixed contacts 60, SI, 64 and 65 have their individual terminals, while fixed contacts 32 and 63 have a common terminal.

The terminals of Spring fingers 54 to 59 and the terminals of fixed contacts 60 to 65 are connected to a three-wire supply source indicated by the numerals 65, 61 and 68 (the voltage across the two outside wires 66 and 61 being substantially double that across each of these outside wires and the neutral wire 68, the higher voltage preferably being 230 and the lower 115), and also to the heating elements l3 and I4 and to the temperature responsive control element 20, as shown in Fig. 4. As there shown, one terminal of the heating element I3 is connected to the common terminal of the switch fingers 55 and 56; a terminal 68a, common to the two heater elements 13 and I4, is connected to the fixed contact 60; and the remaining terminal of the heating element [4 is connected to the common terminal for the fixed contacts 62 and 53. finger 54 is connected to the outside supply wire 66; fingers 51 and 58 to the outside supply wire 61, and finger 59 to the neutral supply wire 68; fixed contact BI is connected to the spring finger 34 of the control element 20; fixed contacts 62 and 63 are connected to the spring finger 33 of element 20; fixed contact 64 is connected with or the control element 20, all as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

In the operation or the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, it is contemplated that switch 1 will effect two manually controlled heats (manually controlled in the sense that when either heat is set the heating elements will deliver the corresponding heat continuously and without being effected by the operation of the control element 20), and two automatically controlled heats wherein in each case the maximum heat capacity of the elements 13 and I4 is delivered and thereafter when the thermal element 20 operates, a lower cooking heat is delivered depending upon the setting of the switch 1.

To effect the highest heat output under manual control, the switch I is operated from its Off position of Fig. 4 to its Manual High position of Fig. 5. This operation connects the two heating elements l3 and [4 in parallel across the outside wires 66 and 61, that is to the high voltage side of the supply source, by a circuit which may be traced from the outside wire 66 through the switch finger 54 and closed contact 60, terminal 68a of the heating elements, thence through heating element l3 and contact fingers 56 and 51 to the other outside wire 61; and from heater terminal 68a through heater element 14, contact 63 and switch finger 57 to the supply wire 61. It will be obvious here that the thermal element 20 is out of the heating system and hence its operation will have no efiect upon the heat delivered by the elements 13 and 14.

Lower manual heat, designated Manual Second, is effected by operating the switch 7 to its position of Fig. 6. This operation functions to connect the heater element l4 only across the outside wires 66 and 61, the heating element l3 being deenergized; this circuit may betraced from the outside wire 66, through the switch finger 54, fixed contact 60, heater element i4 and thence through fixed contact 63 and switch finger 51 to the outside supply wire 61.

To effect the first automatic heat wherein the maximum output of heat is delivered initially to bring the cooking pot quickly to its cooking temperature, and wherein the heat then is cut down to a lower cooking heat but which is still higher than the lowest cooking heat delivered, the switch 1 is moved to its Automatic High to Third position of Fig. '7. This operation of the switch first connects the two heater elements I3 and I4 in parallel to the two outside wires 65 and 61, but also connects the control element 20 into the control system. Thus, when the switch is in its position of Fig. '7, the heater element [3 is connected across the outside wires 66 and 61 by a circuit which is traced from outside wire 66 through switch finger 54, switch contact 60, heater terminal 68a, heater element l3, switch finger 55, switch contact 6| finger 34 of control element 20, closed contacts 29 and 21, finger 32, magnet coil 44, all of element 20, and switch contact 64 and switch finger 58 to supply wire 51; heater element l4 also is connected to these wires 66 and 61 by a circuit which may be traced from supply wire 66, through switch finger 54, switch contact 60, heater terminal 68a, heater element I4, contact finger 33 of element 20, closed contacts 28 and 29 of this element, and contacts 29 and 28 thereof, finger 34 of this element, closed contacts 29 and 21, contact finger 32 and coil 44, and thence through switch contact 64 and switch finger 58 to the outside supply wire 81.

The heater elements |3 and Hi are thus energized in parallel to the outside wires and therefore will deliver the maximum heat. This condition will persist until the heated vessel and hence the bimetallic bar 2| is heated to the cooking temperature. When this temperature has been obtained the bar 2| will have set up therein suflicient stress to move it to the left with a snap and pull the spring contact arm 35 toward the left, that is, it moves the contact 3| toward the left away from contact 3|]. The purpose of this is to delay the making of contacts 30 and 3| following the breaking of contacts 2'! and 28 and 29 so as to assure that any are between the latter sets of contacts is broken before the contacts 30 and 3| are brought into engagement, thereby protecting the device against a short circuit without the use of special relays; it will be observed that the circuit through the coil 44 will be complete and, hence, the magnet 42 energized as long as any arc between contacts 2! and 28 and 29 is maintained. Once this are is extinguished, the magnet will be deenergized and the contact 3| will be returned by the resiliency of arm 35 to its position for engagement with contact 30.

The operation of the control element in closing the contacts and 3|, transfers the heater elements l3 and I4 from the high voltage of the two outside wires 66 and 61 to the low voltage of the outside wire 66 and the neutral wire 58. The circuit for the heater |3 may be traced from the outside wire 65 through switch finger 5B, switch contact 60, heater terminal 68a, heater element I3, switch finger 55, switch contact BI and thence through switch finger 34 of element 20, its contact 30 and associated contact 3|, switch finger 35 of element 20 and thence through contact 65 and finger 59 of switch 1 to the neutral wire 68. The energizing circuit of element l4 may be traced from the outside wire 65, through switch finger 54, contact Gll, heater terminal '88a, heater element l4, contact 62 of switch 1, fingers 56 and of switch I, contact 6| of switch 1, and thence through the elements 34, 30, 3| and 35 of the control element 20, and finally through switch 1, contact and switch finger 59 to the neutral wire 68. In other words, merely by setting the control switch 51 to Fig. 7, the maximum degree of heat is generated until the bimetal bar 2| moves toward the left, which operation automatically connects the two heater elements for a lower cooking heat.

Still a further lower cooking heat following the maximum degree of heat generated for quick heating is had automatically by moving the control switch '5 to its"Automatic High to Fourth" position of Fig. 8. The operation of the control switch to this position first connects the two heaters i3 and M in parallel to the outside wires 66 and 31!. This operation connects the heater i3 across the outside wires 66 and. ti by a circuit which may be traced from the outside wire 66 and the elements 54 and 60 of switch 7, heater termiswitch 1, thence through elements 34, 29, 27, 32

and 4B of control element 2|], and finally through switch 1 elements 6% and 58 to the wire 61. Heater element it is energized from outside wire 66 through elements 53 and 60 of switch 1, heater terminal 58a, heater M, and through elements 33, 28, 29, 21, 32 and M of control element 20, and finally through elements 64 and 58 of switch i to the outside wire 61.

7 Here, however, when the thermostat 2| responds to the cooking vessel attaining the cook'- ing temperature and operates to open contacts 28 and 29 and 27 and 29 and the close contacts 3|, and 30, the heating element |3 only is energized and it is energized on the low voltage across the outside wire 66 and the neutral wire 68. This circuit for heating element l3 may be traced from the outside wire 56 through the elements 54 and 60 of switch i, heater terminal l8a, heater element l3, switch elements 55 and 6|, elements 34, 3|], 3| and 35 of control device 20, and thence through switch i elements and 59 to the neutral wire 68.

While I have shown and described particular embodiments of my invention, it will occur to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from my invention, and I therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. For use in a heating system having a pair of heating circuits, that improvement in switch means for controlling the energization of said circuits comprising a pair of contacts spaced apart from each other, a movable contact element operable between said contacts to energize one and then the other sequentially to energize said circuits, and electro-responsive means operable responsively to the engagement of said movable contact with one of said contacts to energize its respective circuit for forcing the other of said contacts away from its normal position for engagement with said movable contact as long as said respective circuit is energized and to release it when that circuit is deenergized, and means for moving said other contact to its normal position when said respective circuit is deenergized.

2. For use in an electrical system having a pair of circuits, that improvement in switch means for controlling the energization and deenergizetion of said circuits comprising a first normally stationary contact, a second normally stationary contact spaced from said first contact, means mounting said second contact for limited movement toward and away from normal position, a movable contact element operable between said first and second contacts to energize one and then the other sequentially to energize said circuits and electromagnetic means operable responsively to the engagement of said movable contact element withsaid first contact to energize its respective circuit and electromagnetically forcing the second of said contacts away from normal position of engageability with said movable contact element as long as said respective circuit is energized and to release said second contact when said circuit is deenergized, and means biasing said second contact toward its normal position when said respective circuit is deenergized and said electromagnetic means releases said second contact.

3. In a switch for a pair of electric circuits having means controlling the closing and opening of said circuits, that improvement comprising a first normally stationary contact in the first of the circuits, a second contact in the second of the circuits, also normally stationary but movable away irom normal position, a movable contact element operable between two positions, in one of which it closes the first circuit with the first contact and in the other of which it opens the first circuit and closes the second circuit with the second contact when said contact is in normal position, and means preventing closing of the second circuit as long as the first circuit is energized, including an electromagnet in the first circuit, an armature for the electromagnet carried by the second contact, said electromagnet and armature being positioned to move said second contact away from normal position as long as said first circuit is energized, and a spring biasing said second contact toward its normal position of engageability with the movable contact element when the first circuit is open and said electromagnet releases said armature.

4. For use in an electrical system having a pair of separate circuits, that improvement in switch means controlling the energization and deenergization of said circuits comprising a stationary contact in the first of said circuits, a first contact arm in the other circuit movably mounted for limited movement toward and away from a normal position which is spaced from said contact, a second contact arm common to both circuits mounted to be moved between said stationary contact and said first contact arm when in normal position to energize one and then the other circuit sequentially by engagement with said contact and said first contact arm, means for moving said second arm, an electromagnet opposite said first contact arm, a coil on said magnet in saidfirst one 01' said circuits and, therefore, energized in response to the engagement of said second contact arm with said stationary contact, an armature for said electromagnet carried 'by said first contact arm and magnetically forcing said arm away from normal position so that said other circuit cannot be energized as long as the first one of said circuits is energized,

and spring means biasing said first contact arm toward its normal position when said armature is released by said magnet.

5. For use in an electrical system having a pair of independent circuits, that improvement in a switch for controlling the opening and closing of the circuits comprising a stationary contact in the first of said circuits, a movable spring arm in the second of said circuits, a contact on said spring arm normally held by said spring arm in a given spaced relation from said stationary contact but movable by said arm to a more remote position, a movable transfer contact arm located between said stationary contact and said spring arm contacts, contacts on said transfer arm for engagement with said first and second contacts, means for moving said transverse arm between two positions in one of which it closes the first circuit by contact engagement with said stationary contact and in the other of which it opens the first circuit and closes the second circuit by contact engagement with said second contact when said second contact is in said normally spaced relation, an electromagnet in the first circuit, an armature for the electromagnet carried by said spring arm, said electromagnet and armature being so positioned as to pull said spring arm and its contact away from said normally spaced relation and to hold said am in its more remote position when said electromagnet is energized by closing of said first circuit, said spring arm biasing its contact toward normal position for contact engagement with the transfer arm and closing of the second circuit only when the first circuit is open.

LLOYD T. AKELEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

